The present invention relates generally to gaming apparatus useful in arcade-style games. In the past, arcade-style games have been simple in nature and directed primarily at children. In one such game, where the object is to maneuver a car-shaped game piece on a rotating surface, children are offered a chance to simulate driving, attempting to keep the car inside the boundaries of a track painted on a rotating surface. The child is then rewarded with points, tickets, or other indicia of success, the amount of which may depend upon how long the child is able to keep the car within the boundaries of the track. These games generally fall into two main categories: skill games and competition games. In a skill game, a player is generally pitted against a task, such as keeping a car within track boundaries or shooting at a target, and rewarded based upon the performance of that task. In a competition game, multiple players are primarily pitted against each other and rewarded based upon the relative performance of each player. The relative performance may be determined by simultaneous play or by competing against another player's score or performance.
Recently, commercial places of amusement such as restaurants with arcades and large game facilities have become more prevalent. These facilities may cater to adults as well as children, or perhaps primarily just adults. As such, there is a demand for games involving a higher level of skill. Presently, arcade-style games utilize switches or on/off sensors to determine success or failure. Some games use multiple sensors to account for different levels of success. There is presently, however, no technology for measuring fractional success.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide arcade-style games which offer a greater challenge and reward players more in accordance with their particular performance in the game by measuring a player's fractional success.
The present invention includes gaming apparatus, gaming devices, and gaming systems. The present invention may also be used to upgrade or retrofit existing devices or apparatus, using methods and components described herein or known in the art.
A preferred embodiment of a game of the present invention comprises gaming apparatus supported by a base structure. A player controlled device, such as a steering mechanism, firing mechanism, joystick, buttons, or other game controller device now known or subsequently developed, is used to allow a user to play the game. A feedback device is placed in communication with the player-controlled device. The feedback device may be any appropriate feedback device capable of measuring fractional performance, such as a potentiometer, encoder, or other measurement device known in the art. A processor is then utilized to receive a signal or input from the feedback device. The processor then determines the fractional performance of the player in the game. The game may also include an indicator of performance in communication with the processor, such as a display device, award dispenser, or sound-producing device. The game may use a second feedback device in communication with the gaming apparatus. This second feedback device may then provide additional signal data that the processor may use to determine performance.
Also included in the present invention is a game comprising a gaming surface, the surface supported by a base structure. An actuator is connected to the gaming surface, adapted to rotate the surface about an axis. A first feedback device in communication with the actuator is adapted to determine the rotational position of the surface. A game piece is positioned substantially adjacent to the surface. This game piece may be adapted to remain substantially stationary with respect to longitudinal movement along the rotating gaming surface. A steering mechanism is connected to the game piece, adapted to enable rotation or movement of the game piece over a range of the racing surface. A second feedback device is also used, adapted to determine the lateral position of the game piece relative to the track surface. A processor is then used to receive signals or other input from the first and second feedback devices and determine the fractional performance of a player of the game.
The actuator may be adapted to rotate the gaming surface at a constant speed, or may vary the speed based on the performance of a player. The actuator may increase the speed of surface rotation when the player moves the position of the game piece toward a preferred region of the gaming surface. The actuator may rotate the surface a predetermined amount of time, or may rotate the surface for a time period that varies based upon the performance of the player. The game may have an award dispenser connected to the base structure. The award dispenser may dispense a fixed award to each player, or distribute an award that varies based upon the performance of a player. The player steering mechanism of the game preferably includes a steering wheel that is indirectly connected to the player's game piece, such that as the steering wheel is turned the game piece responds accordingly. The game may also have an indicator of progress that may advance along a predetermined path toward a destination as the game is played. The gaming surface may indicate any appropriate gaming situation, such as a race track, river, or roadway.
The present invention also comprises a competition game having at least two gaming surfaces, each surface having an appropriate gaming surface depicted upon it, such as a racing track, river, or roadway. The game utilizes an actuator for each surface, each actuator adapted to rotate an attached surface about a respective axis. A first feedback device is connected to each actuator, each first feedback device adapted to determine the rotational position of the respective surface. There is a game piece for each surface, the game piece positioned substantially adjacent to its respective surface.
Each surface also has a respective steering mechanism. The steering mechanism may be connected either directly or indirectly to a respective game piece, and adapted to enable movement of the game piece over a range of the surface. A second feedback device is utilized for each steering mechanism, the second feedback device adapted to determine the lateral position of the respective game piece relative to the respective gaming surface. A processor is then used to receive signals or input from the first and second feedback devices for each gaming surface and determine the fractional performance of a player at any or all of the gaming surfaces. The game may additionally include an indicator of progress for each surface, adapted to advance along a predetermined path toward a destination when a player maintains a respective game piece within certain boundaries of the respective gaming surface. The game may end when one of the indicators reaches its destination.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and preferred embodiments.